Humic, etc. / newbie

[southern-ct-4]

Hi all. I don't recall which post I first saw it on, but I've recently been trying to read up on humic, kelp... and found the great post here:

https://aroundtheyard.com/index.php?opt ... Itemid=117

I have two initial questions:

1. How do I know if I need to do this/if it would be beneficial (or is it simply always beneficial to apply it at least once or twice/year)?

2. Is something like The Andersons Organic Humic DG Granular Soil Conditioner (Humic Acid) https://www.amazon.com/Andersons-Humic- ... F3QY0?th=1 or The Andersons HumiChar Organic Soil Builder with Humic Acid and BioChar https://www.amazon.com/Andersons-HumiCh ... B0843NQR9J similar/a decent substitute to making my own (using the link above), even if it's more expensive?

Even with a hose end sprayer, I'm not inclined to cover my 20k sq ft (I know it's not a lot for some of you, but it is for me).

Thank you.

[MorpheusPA]

1) I'd tentatively say it's always beneficial, but if you're entirely happy with your lawn, it's probably not necessary and you can skip it. If your soil is easy to dig, your lawn is greener than your neighbors', and is the first to green up and the last to go into dormancy (or doesn't go dormant at all as mine doesn't [although I'm in PA and you're in CT so...]), then you can skip this with abandon.

2) There's some testing going on right now that I know nothing about. But no, this does differ and I've altered my own recipe to remove the humates as I've generally found them to be the least useful part of the mix. The kelp and conditioner are both extremely useful.

You can certainly use kelp meal if you wish (but it's unbelievably expensive) at a rate of up to 10 pounds per thousand square feet. The vast majority of the mass is chaff, and the reason I've recommended the extracts here. I've proven the usefulness to myself repeatedly in every phase of plant growth from seed to a thirty-year-old hibiscus that's finally dying of advanced and unstoppable senescence.

If you have a hose venturi, you could certainly use a bucket, measured amount of mix, and sprinkler to apply this as well. It's not that particular as to the level of dilution and those can be handy in terms of feeding wide areas as well, like large gardens, with liquid fertilizers.

[southern-ct-4]

Thank you very much for the info/insight. I'll continue to think this over...

[jskierko]

I did my first app of this today: SLS, yucca, humic, kelp. I have a pretty solid clay soil (most recent TEC of 16.8) and high traffic areas get worn down and rugged looking this time of year, especially given the recent dry conditions. Probably will repeat every 2 weeks through summer and see if I can notice any major differences. I have just shy of 20k and for how cheap it is on a per app basis following standard directions for use (just over ~$0.40/1k sq ft each application or about $8 for my whole yard) I figure it can't hurt.

[andy10917]

So-CT, are you asking about the Humic Acid used in small amounts in BLSC, or the Humates program that I have been writing a few posts about (measured in lbs/K)? There is an enormous difference between the two regimens.

Humates Addition to Soil Plans

[southern-ct-4]

So-CT, are you asking about the Humic Acid used in small amounts in BLSC, or the Humates program that I have been writing a few posts about (measured in lbs/K)? There is an enormous difference between the two regimens.

Humates Addition to Soil Plans

Hmm... So originally I came across the BLSC/Kelp Help page, so that's what I was asking about. That page mentioned humic acid, and since I'm not keen on spraying, I started googling for humic granules, and came across the Andersons humic. So, when I asked if the andersons would be a good substitute, my question (in that sense) then related to your humates post, even though I was intending to ask if it was a possible alternative to the blsc page...

Sorry for any confusion.

I'll probably give the andersons a try, and maybe try to get motivated for the kelp help mixture at some future point.

[southern-ct-4]

Are there any timing 'restrictions' for putting down Andersons Humic DG, in terms of not doing it too close to any other product(s)?

[andy10917]

No, but you don't want to try to play "catch-up" to get to the annual max number - too much at once can tie up nutrients for a while. Leave 6-8 weeks between applications of 2 lbs/K, and no more than 4-5 lbs/K total for the year. I recommend 4 lbs/year and leave room for the amount in a year's worth of Kelp Help apps.

[southern-ct-4]

Perfect, thank you. I put down 40 lbs across my 20k sq ft before the (I almost forgot what it looked like) rain we got Saturday/Sunday.